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Marijuana will still be against rules on Colorado college campuses

Members of the Boulder Police Department and University of Colorado Police Department wander through the crowd during the 4/20 event on Norlin Quad at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado April 20, 2010. (Mark Leffingwell, Daily Camera)

Colorado University Senior Gabriel Kuettel trespassing on the Norlin Quad that is closed to crackdown on pro-marijuana protesters on 4/20 at the school in Boulder, Colorado, Friday, April 20, 2012. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

In about a month, a measure legalizing marijuana use and possession for adults will go into effect, but one place it won't have much grip on is college campuses.

When it comes to pot, there will be no high in higher education in Colorado.

"In order not to lose federal funds," said University of Colorado at Boulder spokeswoman Malinda Miller-Huey, "we need to comply with federal law."

That means at CU — like at pretty much every other campus, big and small, across the state — marijuana use will not be allowed. People of all ages smoking pot on campus and those under 21 found possessing it will still be issued criminal tickets. Use and possession of marijuana in the dorms won't be sanctioned, even for those 21 or older, who will be allowed to possess marijuana elsewhere.

Marchers feeling out security to find a way onto the Colorado University Boulder campus. The Norlin Quad on it's campus to crackdown on pro-marijuana protesters on 4/20 at the school in Boulder, Colorado, Friday, April 20, 2012. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

And, on at least several campuses, including CU's, students over 21 or adult faculty and staff members found possessing marijuana could still face school disciplinary proceedings.

About the only change the new law will have on CU's enforcement against marijuana will be that police officers will no longer issue tickets to those 21 or older found with pot.

"We would advise them it's against university policy," said CU police spokesman Ryan Huff. "And, if they are an employee or student, it's possible they could be referred to their supervisor or the office of student conduct."

The new law — passed as Amendment 64 by 55 percent of Colorado voters last month — allows people 21 or older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow six plants in their homes. About 38 percent of undergraduate students at CU — and only 4 percent of students living on campus — are 21 or older, Huff said.

A man exhales after smoking marijuana in a pipe at a pro-marijuana rally at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, in this April 20, 2012 file photo. (Rick Wilking, Reuters)

In a question-and-answer guide posted on the CU website, the school acknowledges the new law means students 21 or older will be able to grow, possess and use marijuana legally off campus.

Students 21 and older at CU are allowed to have alcohol in their dorm rooms, provided it stays in their rooms and no one under 21 is present when they are drinking, Miller-Huey said. Alcohol is allowed at other places and events on campus, too.

The difference is that CU and other schools receiving federal funds must comply with the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, which requires schools to ban illicit drugs from campus. Marijuana use and possession are illegal under federal law.

Officials at colleges and universities around Colorado say they are still studying the legal ramifications of marijuana legalization. But they are uniform in saying that marijuana will not have a place on campus.

"The very most likely result is that marijuana is not allowed anywhere on the CSU campus," said Colorado State University spokesman Mike Hooker, who added that marijuana possession would be considered a student conduct code violation. "It doesn't fit in with our mission as an academic institution."

Mason Tvert, a leader of the campaign to pass Amendment 64, said the schools have the right to keep marijuana off campus but said it is unfortunate that the schools would consider pursing discipline against people legally possessing marijuana.

John Ingold: 303-954-1068, jingold@denverpost.com or twitter.com/john_ingold

Garrett Kramer smokes a large blunt during the 4/20 event on Norlin Quad at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado April 20, 2010. (Mark Leffingwell, Daily Camera)

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